Schultz Design + Drafting Blog:Residential Architect

The
modern office space is all about promoting collaboration and working with other
employees, while also providing comfort to clients, patients or visitors. If
you’re renovating your business or medical office or thinking of moving to a
whole new space, the furniture and design themes you choose will have a big
impact on your office’s vibe. Here are some hot trends in today’s workplace
décor that you might like to incorporate into your own space.

Brand-Centric

New
office designs are shying away from two-toned neutrals and mundane structures,
and instead focusing on reinforcing the company’s brand and personality. If you
have an ophthalmology office, for example, and your first focus is your
customers and their comfort, you’ll want to create a space that is welcoming,
soothing and promotes your brand at the same time. You can also incorporate
subtle design or décor options, like mini-eyecharts along the trim or detailed
features as certain distances from your seating that you can use to help test a
person’s visual acuity.

If
you’re a financial institution, and want to impress your customers with your
stature and portfolio, we might create a more impressive space with wooden flourishes
and ornate designs. Even a long-standing organization can incorporate branded
design elements like old-fashioned touches from an earlier era when the company
was founded or even decorative or structural elements from the business’ first
location from years ago.

Flexibility

PCG says that with more and
more millennials taking managerial roles in the workforce, office design has
trended towards flexibility. That means if you’re designing a new office space
for employees or retrofitting an existing workspace, you should aim to include
capabilities and features that cater to this modern workflow. That means
putting a focus on fostering space for co-working, with areas that are more
open to encourage brainstorming. This can include meeting areas with white
boards or digital monitors can be wirelessly connected to laptops or tablets,
or central lounge areas with more inward-facing seating to encourage group
collaboration.

For
waiting rooms in medical offices or other types of private practices, you
should also work to accommodate your clients. Many of these individuals who are
coming to an appointment are taking time off from work to see you. Make it easy
for them to still keep in touch and be productive by providing some small private
workspaces or available seating at tables along with conveniences like free
Wi-Fi and available power outlets or USB charging stations.

Comfort

We’re
not suggesting that you outfit your waiting area or office space with only
couches and ottomans, but your patients’ and clients’ comfort is important.
Today’s offices are taking the employee and client comfort level to the
forefront, focusing on creating inviting workspaces and waiting rooms that
promote calm energy and boost productivity. Work Design reports on a drive toward incorporating
blended use of natural materials with modern to create spaces that are still
efficient, but more warm and welcoming. These subtle touches can make an office
more positive for both guests and workers.

There
are tons of different options and approaches to consider when planning a new
office design or a major renovation. Let Schultz Architecture help with your
office project. We have worked with countless clients in a variety of
industries and business needs to create new structures and spaces that suit
their needs perfectly. Let us show you what well-planned architecture and
design can provide. Call us today at 269-350-6709.

As recently as just 10 or 15
years ago, the average homeowner wasn’t all that concerned about how “smart”
their house was. There were some people who wanted to install things like
intercom systems and central vacuum cleaners that required some preplanning on
the part of homebuilders and designers, but there usually wasn’t a lot of
consideration given to seamlessly incorporating many gadgets throughout a new
home or addition. Homeowners could add them later if they chose to do it.

But things are much different
these days. More and more homeowners want their houses to be “smart,” meaning
builders and designers need to work hand in hand to accommodate them. The
desire for smart homes or connected homes is one of the biggest drivers in home
comfort and innovation today. Some people want to have in-wall speakers placed
throughout a home that are capable of connecting to their electronic devices
wirelessly, while others want to incorporate variable zone thermostats that
allow homeowners to control the temperature in different parts of their house
from their smartphones, even when they’re not actually home. There are also
lights and shades that can be controlled through apps or automation systems,
and, in some cases, homeowners can even control these things with the sounds of
their voices if microphones and connected systems are preplanned into the
design of the home and its wiring, walls and fixtures.

It’s pretty amazing to see how far
we have come and how much “smarter” our homes are now than they were in the
1990s and 2000s. There is an endless supply of gadgets that can be incorporated
into smart home design when building a new home or putting on an addition. To
make the process go as smoothly as possible, though, you need to work with a
company that specializes in design and has experience creating smart homes.

Schultz Architecture can keep you
and your family connected and help you find innovative ways to get all
of your smart devices on the same page. If you are building a new home or plan
on adding an addition to your home and you want to find out more about the
concept of smart home design, call us at 269-615-2597 today and see how we can
help you create the perfect smart space.

Having a
window in your home that overlooks a lake or another beautiful part of nature
is truly a blessing. It can transform the entire feel of your home and give you
and your guests something to stare at when you’re unwinding after a long day or
just enjoying some peace and quiet. But did you know that there’s a lot to
consider when picking the type of glass to use in your home’s windows? Check
out some of the options that you will have if you decide to install new glass
today.

Gas-Filled Windows

If the view
outside of your window looks great, then you might not spend much time thinking
about how the window glass performs against the elements. But you should
obviously spend some time considering it since it will affect your heating and
cooling costs. Gas-filled window glass comes with a space between two panes of
glass that is filled with an inert gas like argon or krypton. According to the Department
of Energy, this gas layer works as insulation to help keep temperatures
more moderate. These inert gases have a higher resistance to heat flow, making
it more difficult for heat and cold to transfer through windows, minimizing
heat loss through your window glass.

Insulated

Insulated
windows are another option for homeowners who are concerned about how much air
can pass through their windows. Insulated windows contain two or more glass
panes that are hermetically sealed, leaving an insulating space of air between
them. Like gas-filled windows, these sealed air spaces serve to improve the ability
of windows to keep heat inside and also resist heating from sunlight.

Heat-Absorbing Tints

Do you have
a ton of natural light that comes flowing through your windows at certain times
of the day? You might enjoy it, but that light can fade your flooring,
furniture and even artwork. The light could also become to become too much if
your home faces directly toward the rising or setting sun. If this is the case,
you can use heat-absorbing tints can also change the color of the glass to help
reduce the amount of brightness coming into your home as well, making lighting
more muted and less overbearing.

There are
many other types of windows that can also be used, depending on the design of
your home. If you’re looking to build a new home or replace windows in your
lakeside property, Schultz Architecture can help. When designing an addition or
new home, our team can work to create a beautiful window installation that
gives you a wonderful view of the surroundings of your home or include
energy-efficient windows to help make your home more ecofriendly and
sustainable. We specialize in working with those who own lakeside vacation
properties, and we can make the most of the gorgeous view that you have from
inside your home while also helping you make the most of your energy. Get
started with your new design or installation today by calling us at
269-615-2597 to schedule a consultation.

When
you are building a new home, there are probably some factors that you don’t
take the time to consider. For example, you know how many bedrooms and
bathrooms you want in the home, but do you know how you’re going to structure
the roof of the home so that it can withstand the weight of the snow that will
fall in the wintertime? Chances are that thought hasn’t crossed your mind,
which is why you need to work with a trusted architectural firm that knows how
to build your home so that it meets all of the local building codes and
regulations when it comes to the roof and other aspects of the home.

There
are a lot of calculations that need to be done to determine how to build a roof
for a home that will sustain winter weather. For starters, an architect will take
a look at the average snowfall in a given year for your location and then
figure out how much snow could end up on your roof during the winter season. By
crunching some numbers and using some simple formulas, the firm will be able to
design a roof that works for the local climate, according to
Popular Mechanics.

The
firm will also need to take a look at nearby trees and structures to see how
they could affect the snow on your roof. They could block snow from falling on
your roof, but they could also prevent it from blowing away or melting. This
may mean that you’ll need extra reinforcement for your roof, above and beyond
what standard code requirements call for. The thermal factor for your roof will
need to be calculated as well since that will play a role in how the roof
should be built. As you can see, there are plenty of preparations that go into
adapting the plans for a home based on the local conditions.

Before
you start building a home based on whatever plans you have come up with, you
should consider calling Schultz Architecture to talk about some of the factors
discussed here. The last thing you want to do is work with a company that fails
to think about the steps that must be taken before a roof is built on top of a
home. Reach out to us at 269-615-2597 today to learn more how we can help take your
existing plans and adapt them for life in Michigan or add in any additional
features or design aspects to make your house a true home.

So
you want to add some extra space to your home. You probably think it is as simple
as just calling a contractor, telling them your idea and watching it come to
fruition, but in reality, there are actually many considerations that must go
into your home addition, and they are crucial to success in this major
endeavor. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

Selecting the Right
Place to Build

Have
you given full considerations to how exactly you want your addition to look?
Are you planning on building out by maybe adding some extra space to your
kitchen or adding a new closet off the bedroom? Maybe you want to build up instead,
adding a whole new floor to your home.

Whatever
you’re considering, it all starts with planning. For example, you want to build
out, you have to ensure that there’s enough space is available and check any
local zoning laws to make sure that you are allowed to build out in the first
place. Sometimes there are restrictions on construction that would place the
home within a certain distance of a sidewalk or road, and you’ll want to be
aware of this before you build. If you want to build up, you also need to have
an inspection completed to ensure that your foundation can support the extra
weight.

Don’t Forget Utilities

If
you are adding a significant addition to your home, the chances are that you
are going to want to have lighting, plumbing or both added to this new portion
of your home. If you don’t plan out this properly in advance, you may find
yourself tearing up work to add in these utilities.

But
it is more than just knowing that you want HVAC utilities installed; it is
making sure that these systems can be installed. Know that if you are adding a
lot of additional space, that you need to ensure that your heating and cooling
systems will be sufficient or that your electrical service can handle
additional load. You also need to leave space in your construction plan to
include duct work, pipes and electrical cabling that may be needed.

If
you are serious about your construction project, then trust Schultz
Architecture to get you there. Our drafting and design expertise is top notch,
and we can help to turn your dream into a reality. We have worked on many
residential and commercial projects throughout the Kalamazoo region, and we can
do the same for your home or business. Call us at 269-615-2597 today to
schedule an estimate.